


Running on Empty

by ImaKaraTabiHe



Series: Speedster Family [14]
Category: Justice League - All Media Types, Young Justice - All Media Types
Genre: Artemis is a bitch, Child Abuse, Cussing, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Hurt/Comfort, Nobody hurts Baby Flash, Poor Wally, Revenge, School, Starvation, Wally Whump, so is the teacher
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-18
Updated: 2016-06-19
Packaged: 2018-07-15 18:30:11
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,351
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7233853
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ImaKaraTabiHe/pseuds/ImaKaraTabiHe
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>When Artemis makes another demeaning statement after a battle, Wally just snaps because he's seriously having a terrible time already and he doesn't need her shit.  He's already got Satan for a science teacher.  It's too much for him and he just snaps.  Luckily there are people he can turn to when he needs to.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Last Straw

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure if the "Graphic Violence" warning is warranted or not, but writing this first half I felt utterly beaten inside, so... yes. Sorry Wally!

“KF! Move your tail end!”

Wally frowned, narrowing his eyes to see better. His head felt murky, cloudy. There was a rumbling that was not from the tentacle coming at him.

Limbs heavy, he forced himself to dart out of the way as it smacked down breaking pavement.

The road seemed to spin. Wally's side hit the wall of a building and he gratefully leaned into it for support. He was so tired. His body was so exhausted. He just wanted to go back to his Aunt's house and curl up in his bed.

“Kid!”

He lifted his head to see another tentacle coming at him. Frowning, he growled, “Anyone want some calamari?”

Wally kicked the end of the tentacle, grabbing its attention and ran straight for the giant squid. He dodged two more tentacles, slapping them as he ran passed. With three tentacles on his tail he raced around the squid, swerving and turning until it was all wrapped around itself.

“Nice going, KF!” Robin walked up to him with a grin on his face. Despite the light-hearted statement, Wally could see concern in his form.

Wally snort in disbelief. “I hate calamari,” he said, looking at the squid with disdain. The world spun as he stumbled slightly, holding onto a lamp post discretely.

“You okay?” Superboy asked with furrowed brows. “You're stomach is rumbling.”

“Are you not eating enough?” Aqualad asked with a frown on his face. Wally groaned and ran a hand through his hair. “I'm fine guys. Perfectly peachy. Just got a lot on my plate” _well not really_ “and I haven't had much time to eat as much as I need to.”

“What? Kid Mouth doesn't have enough time to stuff his face?” Artemis huffed out.

Wally narrowed his eyes, glaring at the archer. He was too tired and hungry to deal with her bullshit, so he snaps. “You know what!? You can be a bitch!”

M'gann gasps, hands over her mouth and the others are looking stunned while Wally goes on. “You hate me, nice to know. Glad to know, now can you just shut your big fat mouth up for a change!? Honestly, you're like a broken record telling me the same things I hear elsewhere so get some new material for a change!”

Wally growls as he goes on, a throbbing in his head and sharp pains in his stomach only adding to his frustrated anger. “I don't give a damn if you ever like me. I don't hate you. I've never done anything to you, but if I have I'd apologize for it because it's not worth having you hanging over my head like some sort of _teacher_ ,” Wally spits out like acidically. “I don't care if we're friends or not. I don't act the way I do as a game.”

He continues, “Quite frankly if you'd shut your mouth and open your mind you might understand that my physical age may only be like 15, but mentally? I'm as old as your mom. We Speedsters process things a whole lot faster than you slow people do and we experience things differently. So, yeah, it'd be nice if you'd understand enough to just shut up and stop treating me like my dying would be a gift to the world.”

Wally takes a breath, face pale and drawn as he looks at Robin and Kaldur, teeth gritted. “I'm sorry for this but I'm taking some time off to cool down and burn off some of this energy. See you next week.”

Leaving a frozen team and a more than slightly frightened Artemis, Wally flashes to Central City and stops at one of his hide-outs to grab a Speedster high-calorie energy bar. He rips off the wrapper and viciously bites into the chalk tasting bar, teeth tearing and gnawing.

The quick fix is gone before he knows it, rapidly being metabolized in his stomach. The anger starts to fade and the lightning that sparked across his body without his control dies down. He's left feeling so empty and sad that he just can't do anything.

Wally lets his back hit the wall of his little abandoned building hide-out and he slides down until his rear hits the floor. He sighs, running a hand through his hair and mentally berating himself.

'Shouldn't have flipped out on Arty like that. It's just her. She may be a bitch to me, but she's still part of the Team,' he chides himself.

Wally lets his head hit the concrete wall with a resounding thud and a similarly resounding pain in his head. He groans.

It's been a bad day. 'No,' he corrects, 'it's been a bad week.'

To sum it up, he has a new science teacher at his school. She's young, new to the whole teaching business and unfortunately she looks good (which begs the question as to why she's teaching to kids his age). Her looks are all she's got going on for her though.

Ms. Hathaway is terrible at science. She reads from a book. _From a fucking book!_ She can't even answer questions that don't have the answer in the book. (Honestly, she's supposed to be a teacher, not a student.)

She also sucks at dealing with kids. Most of the others don't notice it because she gives them that honey dosed smile that makes Wally sick and some bullshit excuse for her punishments and they let her slide.

Wally tried to suck it up and not ask any questions and only answer the ones directed at him, but _come on!_ He's smarter than she is. He could teach the class better than she could.

The first time he over answered one of her questions, she gave him a smile that sent shivers up his spine. It made him fidget in his seat. He still swears that was a Joker level smile, homicidal maniac brand and all. From that point forth, she turned her attention to him.

Whenever there was a problem in class, she blamed _him_. Wally even aced all the tests in her class and she still told him that his being alive was 'a waste of air.' And he's still not sure what happened, but she started confiscating his snacks, that were in his bag where they're supposed to be, and saying it was some 'violation of the rules' and that 'food doesn't belong in a science class.'

So yes. Wally hates her. He's grown tired of being her punching bag (figuratively). And today? Today was the very last straw.

The class had started like normal. Wally thanked any higher power listening that it was Friday and he wouldn't have to see her for the next two days. He still tried not to growl when she took his snacks with an sickly sweet smile at him, except this time, she went a step further.

“Oh, Wally, dear. You know that ring is a violation of class rules, don't you?” Ms. Hathaway told him, glancing down at Wally in his seat. Wally frowned, clueless until she held out her hand, palm up, expectant.

“Wait, what?” Wally had answered, blinking.

Ms. Hathaway frowned when Wally didn't comply right away and 'tsk-ed.' “Your ring, Wally. Hand it over. Now,” she demanded with a gesture to his left hand.

Wally's jaw dropped and he literally just gaped at her for a whopping five minutes before she had had enough and grabbed his hand. “I told you to hand it over. Now I won't be returning,” she told him as he roughly pulled the ring off his finger. Wally tried jerking back for a second but she dug her sharp red nails into his hand, making him wince.

He couldn't use his speed or any abilities. If he reacted badly, he knew she wouldn't have a problem with getting him suspended or expelled so he was forced to endure it as she walked back up to her desk, his ring clutched in her hands, victoriously.

There were so many emotions running through his mind. Anger, hostility, emptiness, and the overwhelming feeling of pure, unadulterated shock. The only thought that kept running through his mind during the class was: ' _Holy shit!_ She just took my other Kid Flash ring.'

So yes. Wally's having a bad time all around. In school. With Artemis on the Team. He can't take it alone. But maybe… he knows who can help.


	2. With Those Who Care

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Running on the bare minimum, Wally makes it to the Rogues.

Wally picks himself up off the floor of his hide-out and brushes his costume, grimacing at the dirt and blood that cover it. He notices all the cuts he'd gotten from the battle now. They definitely hurt once the anger had died away.

He tilts his head to the side thinking. 'Okay, so.. I probably only have about five minutes before the chalk bar is fully metabolized and my stomach tries to eat me again. Let's see.. can I make it there before I start to break down again?'

Wally decides he can and he stretches his aching body, swearing that even his bones hurt. His head certainly hurt enough.

He flashes out, ignoring the dizziness that makes him stumble every now and then. He's going to need more food soon, _very soon._ 'Just a little farther…' he tells himself, encouraging his weary, aching limbs to keep going.

'There!' he mentally cries out, elated as he sees the Rogues' regular safe-house. It's not like they stay there all the time, but most of the time when they're not plotting.

As he approaches the entrance, he tries to slow down but his legs don't respond. He trips over one foot, yelping as he's flung headfirst at near super-speed. 'Ohgod,thisisgoingtohurt,' he chants to himself, as the sidewalk gets larger in his vision.

“FUCK!” He hears someone swear loudly before large, callused hands shove themselves out of nowhere and grab him, pulling him against the owner's large chest. The kinetic energy makes the owner stumble and turn. Before he blinks, he hears the whoosh of air being knocked from someone's lungs and he's lying on a broad chest.

Wally starts to panic, squirming against the arms holding him. “Shit, kid. It's Mick!”

Brows furrowing, Wally stills as the strong arms hug him closer. Faintly, he sniffs the jacket his rescuer is wearing, smiling when there's that familiar scent of smoke that never fades. He relaxes in Mick's arms. “Hi, Mick,” he croaks, voice still hoarse from using it to yell at Artemis.

When Wally looked up at him, Mick frowned, sitting up as he pulled Wally with him. “Kid, you okay? Not looking so good there.”

Wally scowled at Mick, or at least he tried to. With all the running, the calorie bar was wearing off and his body was starting to feed on itself again. His stomach growled loudly. Any other time and he would've blushed.

Mick's eyes widened as he looked at Wally who was curling into him and closing his eyes, face pinched with pain. He wound his arms under and around Wally and stood, nearly tripping over his own feet.

“Len! Sam!” He roared, the kid curled in his arms as he ran to the safe house, kicking the door open. Mick wasn't the least bit apologetic that they'd have to fix that later. Right now, Wally was more important.

Digger, Sam, and Len had been sitting on the couch watching TV when Mick came in, but when they heard him call, they jerked up fast. They were tense, muscles coiled and they each had reached for anything that could be used as a weapon.

Mick fled passed them into the dining room, holding onto Wally with one arm and knocking anything and everything off the table before he layed Wally down.

“What happened?” Len demanded as he ran into the room behind him with Sam and Digger on his tail. Sam quickly moved passed the two and to Wally, running an objective eye over the kid.

“Not sure,” Mick grunted. “He just came out of no where and was about to hit the sidewalk face first when I caught him.”

“'s he in pain?” Digger asked, frowning when he saw Wally's expression.

“He has some wounds, but nothing too terrible. Maybe a bruised or cracked rib,” Sam informed them, brows furrowing. “But…”

Mick narrowed his eyes at Sam. “But what?”

Sam's eyes flickered between Wally and the Rogues. “He's not healing.”

The room was silent until there was a loud wail. “Baby Flash isn't healing!?”

Everyone looked to the doorway to see James and Hartley standing there. Hartley had a grip on one of James' arms and James' eyes were wide, locked on Wally.

“Why's he not healin'? Who hurt 'em?” Digger demanded, fingers itching for one of his boomerangs.

“A giant squid,” Hartley deadpanned.

Everyone looked at him incredulously as James simply frowned and muttered, “That's a lot of calamari..”

“A 'giant squid'?” Len repeated, blinking.

Hartley shrugged. “I have a worm in the Young Justice system that lets me know whenever Wally goes out on a mission and it updates me if he gets injured.”

Len grinned, resisting the urge to tell Hartley how proud he was that he had hacked League tech and no one had found out so far. 'That'll put ice in the Bat's suit if he ever found out,' he mentally beamed. Externally, he merely grinned and said, “Good work, Hartley.” Hey, he had an image to keep up.

Hartley shrugged at Len's praise and added, “He wasn't hurt that badly though. Managed to tie the thing up on his own.”

Sam frowned, “So if he wasn't hurt that badly, why isn't he healing?”

“Food.”

Everyone looked at Len with confusion. He wanted to eat now?

Len shook his head, guessing what was running through their minds. “He needs food,” Len told them, gesturing to the kid's face after he removed the goggles and cowl. “This is just like that time when he kept getting sick from his nightmares,” Len reminded Mick and Hartley, who were starting to catch on, nodding.

“Shit!” Mick swore. Len was absolutely right.

“He's starving to death,” Sam exclaimed, eyes wide and all the blood gone from his face.

Everyone's collective thought was ' _FUCK!'_ Then they were scrambling for ways to stop their baby from dying.

“Sam, Sam, what do we do?” Len asked, concern wearing on his nerves.

Sam looked at Len with a shiver of his own worry. “I-I...”

“Think!” Mick growled.

“Mick,” Len warned, because it wasn't going to help to yell at each other.

Sam swallowed, eyes landing on Wally. He shook himself inside and took a deep breath. “Last time.. you called the League, right?”

Hartley nodded.

“Okay,” Sam said, collecting himself. He looked at Hartley, “do you know where the League keeps their IVs for Speedsters?” Because Wally wasn't going to be eating much of anything without getting sick first. He knew that Wally normally ate anything and everything but this time it was too much.

Hartley tilted his head, thinking. “Yes.”

Sam nodded, “Okay. You're-- We're going to go get one.” He didn't wait for Len or anyone else as he hustled from the room and grabbed his mirror gun. “Hart!”

Hartley scrambled after him, grabbing some of his gadgets along the way. The two promptly vanished into a long mirror.

Mick ran a hand over Wally's cheek. “Do we contact Red now or later?” James held one of Wally's hands, gently squeezing it.

Len gritted his teeth. “Later. Let's see what's up first.” He'd probably get read the riot act from Flash but Kid was running to them for help and unless he said otherwise, it'd stay between them.

Hartley and Sam made it back with no problems. The two quickly set up an IV. Wally had finally come around, but his vision kept blurring and he couldn't focus on them. It hurt to hear him moan and whimper, but they supposed that it was better than not hearing anything at all from him.

“Ssshh Wally,” Mick murmurs, stroking his ginger hair gently. “You're okay. We're all here for you.. You're safe.” He's happy to see Wally's body relax beneath his touch and the pain fade from his face as the IV does its job.

“D'ya think he's in trouble?” Digger asks, offhandedly as he sits on a chair, rubbing one of his boomerangs clean.

Len raises an eyebrow. “Yes,” he states. He sees the look Digger sends him and shrugs. “He came to us. He wants our help.”

“We'll help him,” James says, determined.

Mick grins. “Damn right.”

They sit there and watch Wally rest and recover. It shouldn't take long, but for now they're just content with having him resting under their watchful eyes, safe from whatever was hurting him. When he woke, they'd make sure that whatever was bothering him went up in flames, of that Mick was sure. He could guarantee it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This was supposed to be two chapters. TWO! What happened to it? And now it's going to be three. Sorry for kinda promising to end it in two and having to have another chapter.  
> At least he's with the Rogues now?
> 
> Next chapter he fills them in on his problems.


	3. Vengeful Rogues (and Speedster)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Wally tells the Rogues what's wrong and they're rightfully pissed off, so they plot. A little. And.. okay, yeah so they get revenge. With help from Flash, of course.

Wally whined softly, the smell of food permeating through the haze of exhaustion as his body slowly restarted. There was the twinge of metal in his arm. 'IV,' he noted as he blinked, brows furrowing as he adjusted to the light and looked around.

'Mick,' he remembered how he was found.

Turning his head, he could see the whole of the Rogues, sitting there, watching over him. 'My silent dark guardians,' Wally thought, wishing he could pretend to clutch his heart and sway at the protective emotions. 'Huh. Must be a bit loopy from almost starving to death.'

“Food?” he croaked out weakly.

“Baby Flash!” James squealed softly, rushing over to him, hands in the air over Wally as if he was afraid to touch him.

“How are you feeling?” Sam asked, picking up one of his arms and observing the smaller wounds healing slowly.

Wally frowned. “Hungry.”

Mick snorted a little, “Hungry? You almost died.”

Blinking, Wally revised his response. “Alive?”

Len quirked a brow with a faint smile on his face. “Better.”

Wally let his eyes widen and he looked at them with his large green eyes and jutted his lower lip out in a pout. “...food?”

The Rogues laughed, a light sound that cleared the tension from the atmosphere. It was relieving to see Wally being so well.. _Wally._

Mick helps Wally sit up and Digger brings a big platter of food for Wally to eat because Sam tells him that he needs more than just the IV. Wally can't find it in him to complain when he's already halfway through the food on the plate. He barely stops to drink a smoothie that Len hands him with that look that says if he refuses he'll tell Flash, so he drinks it without complaint. Taste could use some work though.

“So...” Len begins as Wally settles himself on the couch, needing a little help arranging himself because he's still a bit weak and he got a close to dying. “You gonna tell us what the problem is, kid?”

Wally freezes mid-reach for a blanket on the back of the couch. The blood drains from his face and he looks a bit sick.

“Kid?” Sam asks, starting towards him with concern. Wally's raised hands stops Sam from checking on him.

Wally takes a deep breath and he stills a tremble in his body that he hadn't noticed before. “I need your help.” His brows furrow with a frown. “I need Central City's famous Rogues' help,” he corrects himself.

Len's eyes narrow and the Rogues exchange looks of confusion and concern with each other. “And you can't go to the Flasher.. why?”

Wally fidgets, a smidgen of fear cutting through his nerves. “I- um.. You know my identity already,” he gestures to his goggle-less, cowl-less face. He's not concerned really but he lets them nod first and foremost before he continues.

“My um.. I have this teacher...” he beings. He tells them everything about his teacher. He tells them how Ms. Hathaway kept picking at him, blaming him, _taking his snacks that he needs so bad to live_..

It's hard to sit still and pretend that everything coming out of the kid's mouth isn't burning their blood with rage and the desire to see this 'Ms. Hathaway' running in fear from them. Taking away their Baby Flash's snacks? Oh, yes. They're pissed. Hurting him when she took his Kid Flash ring? Everyone's hands twitch for their weapons. _Nobody fucks with their baby._

“And.. I was wondering.. could you um...” Wally clears his throat, trying to make him sound more confident with this request for the Rogues' help. “Could you steal it back?”

Kid's voice sounds so small and uncertain that the Rogues feel their hearts break a little. Was he not sure if they'd help him? Was he not sure they'd believe him?

Mick kneels in front of Wally and tilts the kid's head up with a hand under his chin. “Kid, who are we?”

Wally frowns, caught off guard by the question. “The Rogues?”

Smirking, Mick nods. “And what do we do?”

“… Steal?”

Digger grins. “Damn right, mate. We'll show the bitch what for.”

Len coughs a little to cover a laugh at Digger's enthusiastic statement before he adds, “What Digger means, is that we might have the time. Plus James needs some entertainment or else he'll go nuts.” It's said with such humor that Wally cracks a smile and James puffs up proudly.

“We'll get it back for you,” Sam promises, ruffling Wally's hair gently. Wally looks up at Sam looking like a lost puppy and it takes everything Hartley has to hold James back from glomping Wally.

“Do you need me to..” Wally starts to offer his help but Len shakes his head cutting Wally off.

“Nah, kid. We're good. You just sit there and watch some TV, yeah?” Len tells him. “We'll be back in a little bit.” Wally doesn't argue. It's Captain Cold.

James plops down next to Wally, curling an arm around him and pulling him against him. The two watch TV while Len and the other Rogues migrate back to the dining room, Hartley dragging his laptop.

Hartley settles in a chair and begins hacking into the school's system. Len pulls out his phone and sends off a quick text.

“Flasher will meet us at the school,” Len tells them, pulling on his gear while everyone else except Hartley follows his example.

“Got the info, Hart?” Sam asks, leaning over Hartley.

Hartley nods and quickly writes down that teacher's address and hands it to Mick. They don't need the school's. They've known since the first day they found out Wally's civilian ID.

Len nods, approvingly and squeezes Hartley's shoulder lightly. “Ruin her, kid,” he tells Hartley who smirks. “Let's head out,” he tells Digger, Mick, and Sam.

While James and Wally chill and Hartley hacks the bitch's digital life, the remaining four Rogues pull up in front of the school. “Sam, Digger,” Len starts, “you have her address. Pay her a… pleasant visit,” he says, watching their eyes sparkle with a twisted pleasure.

He stands beside Mick, watching the two drive away. There's a rush of air and Flash is suddenly standing right in front of him.

“What's going on?” Flash asks, cautiously.

Len and Mick lead him into the school and Len ices the lock off of the bitch's desk drawer and opens it to find it stacked with snacks and _Wally's Speedster energy bars_. Flash's eyes narrow.

“Bitch's been taking Wally's snacks since she got here Monday,” Len tells Flash, seeing his own anger mirrored on the heroes face.

Mick plucks something from the drawer and holds it up for Flash to see. Flash goes still at the sight of one of Kid Flash's rings sitting there in his palm.

Vibrating with anger, Flash spits out, “What. The. Fuck.” His eyes flicker between the snacks and the ring and he just feels like grabbing the teacher's hair and dragging her bitchy self on a super-speed trip around the world.

“What's happened.”

Len explains everything. He tells him about how Wally had shown up, starving to death, asking for their help. How miserable the kid had been. Flash listens, rage building inside.

When he tells Flash that Hartley's wrecking the woman's digital life and Sam and Digger are paying her a visit, Flash's lips twitch up in a Joker style grin. Before Len can ask what he's thinking, Flash is gone.

Len and Mick exchange looks and then there's a rush of wind and he's there again. Except this time Flash has a satisfied smile on his face.

“What'd you do,” Len asks, conflicted as to whether he should play the angel or the devil on Flash's shoulder.

Flash smirks and replies, “Dropped her in the landfill.”

Len narrows his eyes, suspicious. “And?”

Flash rolls his eyes. “And.. I dropped her in Arkham,” he admits, grudgingly.

Mick barks out a laugh and Len can't stop the grin. They definitely approve. When Flash tells him that Sam and Digger might've told her neighbors that they were her shrinks and that she was a loon, Len chuckles.

Flash turns towards the door before he stops and looks at them, “Can I…?”

Len's tempted to say no, but he knows that Wally still needs to be checked out by League docs so he nods. “Take care of him.” Flash smiles and tells him that if he can't, he knows Len and the Rogues will be there before he disappears.

Len snorts because Flash is damn right about that fact. Whether it's from that bitch of a teacher or that bitchy teammate of his (yes, they know and Hartley's already got her number), they'll take care of whoever messes with their Baby Flash. Kid's one of them. Anyone who doesn't know that will simply have to suffer if they hurt him.

Sam and Digger pull up and Len and Mick hop in to head back to the safe-house, relaxing with the knowledge that Ms. Hathaway's life is in ruins and if she dares come back, they'll throw her through a Boom tube and into a black hole.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was worried this might be dragged out to another chapter but no. It's done! Yay~ Bye bye bitch!
> 
> What did you think of how it ended? I was a bit tempted to add more, but I kinda like how Flash reacted to it.  
> Thanks for reading~ Have a good uh.. Sunday? Monday? (Gosh, I need sleep.)

**Author's Note:**

> It's going to end on a better foot than it started, I promise.
> 
> Let me know your thoughts. (Sorry for all the pain!)


End file.
